Go Your Own Way: The Nathan Years

Okay, so I've got "Go Your Own Way" going right now and I already have the Nathan part in my mind, so to hopefully get a bit more of a following, I'll start the Naley part of the story. For background on the Haley character, read the first story. It's still in progress, so you might not have all the answers yet, but it's getting there.

It was Haley's third school in six years. She was determined this time that she would make a name for herself. None of her siblings had gone to Tree Hill High, so she had a clean slate. She could only hope that her reputation wasn't as widespread as her best friend's.

If she wanted to make a name for herself, she had to do things differently here. She woke up for school an hour before usual. Wearing make-up to school for the first time was definitely a change, but so were the looks that she got from the boys. The morning announcements were… interesting. She listened to the boy who was obviously on some sort of drugs as he gave the announcements.

Thinking aloud she asked, "How the hell did he get that job?"

"He was voted-in by the student body. He may be a total pothead, but damn, he looks just like Johnny Depp."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah. He's in this class. You'll see him soon enough."

"I'm Haley," she said sticking her hand out to shake with the girl.

"Theresa. Nice to meet you."

"So what's this guy's name?"

"Felix."

"Hey new girl," Felix said cockily as he entered homeroom and sat next to Haley. "I'm Felix."

"Haley."

"Very nice to meet you Haley. So, what brings you to Tree Hill?"

"I've been here my whole life."

"Really? So why are you changing schools in the middle of the year?"

"Why are you so nosy?" she shot back.

"I just wanted some background information before I took you out."

Haley looked at him stunned, "Who said you were taking me out?"

"I did. It's called LipSync. It's on Thursday. I'll be taking you." The bell rang signaling it was time for their first class. "See ya later." Felix sent her a wink and left the classroom as Haley stayed behind stunned.

"Haley?" Theresa said, snapping her out of her funk. "It's time for your next class."

"I think he just asked me out," Haley said, standing up.

"You think?"

"Hello?" Haley said answering the phone.

"Hey Hay Hay!"

"What's up Rach?"

"So, I'm going to be at your new school tonight, will you be there?"

"Yes, I will. In fact, I have a date."

"Really? Who? Anyone I know?"

"Maybe. His name is Felix. He's totally hot and totally popular."

"Which of course means, yes, I know him. I'm going Jake. I'm pretty sure he and Felix are tight, so, I'll make sure we sit together. I'm kind of pissed though that you have a date."

"Why?"

"Well, partly because you didn't tell me, you whore. And partly because I kind of had a double date for us planned. You haven't even been there a week, how do you already have a date?"

"Because I'm hot."

"Well, obviously. That is why we're friends, but I thought you were still mourning from your Chris break-up."

"Chris was mourning. Not me."

"That's right, you were…"

"Don't even finish that sentence of I will call Julian right now."

"Okay, okay. Anyways, we're going to get there a little early and save you two seats I guess. Call me when you get there. Love ya."

"Mean it."

"Damn girl, you are lookin' fine tonight," Felix said as Haley climbed into his car.

"Uh, thanks, I guess. Do you know Jake?"

"Yeah, Jake's awesome. He's on the basketball team."

"Right. Well, he's taking my best friend to this thing tonight, so I was hoping we could sit with them."

"Yeah, that's cool."

"So is Jake a nice guy?"

"He's dating your best friend and you don't know him? Doesn't sound like you're all that close."

"We're close, she just… dates a lot, so I don't exactly know everyone."

"So, she's a slut?"

"No. She just… likes sex."

"Do you?"

"First date," Haley said, hoping to get Felix to back down.

"Thank God we're here," Haley said as they pulled up to the school. Felix had been talking nonstop the whole ride and not all of it was pleasant.

Haley got out of the car and started walking towards the school. "Wait up," Felix shouted, trying to get her attention.

"Sorry," Haley fake smiled back at him, "I just haven't seen Rachel in a few weeks, so I'm excited to see her."

"That's so hot," Felix said, obviously picturing something going on between the girls.

Just then an attractive group of people walked up to them, "Felix, hey man," said the leader as they gave a secret handshake. "Who's the chick?"

"This is my girl, Haley," he said pulling Haley in close to him. Normally, she would have pushed the perv away, but these were obviously the popular people, which meant she needed to fit in.

She gave a fake smile and held out her hand, "Hi, nice to meet you."

"HALEEYYY!!" she heard Rachel scream from across the parking lot.

Turning around she saw her best friend running towards her with her arms open. "BEST FRIEND!!!" she shouted back as she ran into her arms.

"It's been too long," Rachel said.

"It's been two weeks."

"I know, way too long."

"Well, maybe, if you weren't so busy consoling my ex-boyfriend, we would have been able to spend more time together."

"Oh, come on Hales, Chris was heartbroken."

"And you fixed it…" Haley added with a slight bit of venom. "I thought y'all were getting here early?" she asked, quickly changing the topic.

"Sorry. We went on a bit of a… detour," she finished as she sent a smile towards Jake.

"That's disgusting, Rachel."

"Tell me about it," a boy said from behind Jake. "I was the one driving."

"Sorry, Nate," Jake said to the boy, obviously not sorry. "You must be Haley. Rachel hasn't shut up about you."

"She never shuts up about anything," Haley joked sending Rachel a smile.

"Can we go in now?" Felix asked.

Haley sent Rachel a 'kill-me-now' look before following Felix into the auditorium.

"That… was… awesome," Rachel said as she climbed into the front seat of Jake's car.

"It was okay," Felix said as he slid into the back. "Last year was better."

"Comfy back there, Hales?" Rachel asked, looking behind her at Haley who was squished between Felix and Nathan.

"Just wonderful," Haley spat back sarcastically. There she was, sitting in the back of a stranger's car squished between a quite attractive, but very cocky popular boy and another complete stranger.

"Did you have fun?" Nathan asked her.

"I guess. I've never been to something like that before, so it was different."

Jake pulled out of the parking lot and onto street way too fast for Haley's liking.

"Umm, do you think you could slow down?" she asked as she looked at the speedometer showing they were going 65 in a 40 mile per hour zone.

"Yeah, Jake, come on. You don't need another ticket," Nathan encouraged.

"I bet you can't get it up to 80," Felix challenged.

"Felix, seriously, please, don't encourage him," Haley begged as her whole body began shaking in fear.

Haley looked to Rachel for support, but she was just laughing in the front seat. She started taking deep breaths like her psychiatrist had taught her and closed her eyes, imagining she was somewhere else. Feeling the car swerve, she opened her eyes to find they were finally on the interstate. She leaned her head on Felix's shoulder, hoping to feel protected as he slid his arm across her shoulders. It wasn't really helping though as Felix continued to egg Jake on.

Looking up at the speedometer once more, Haley noticed it was now at 120. Her breaths got deeper and she wasn't sure if she could take anymore until she felt a hand on her own. It was simple. No words were said, but Nathan slipped Haley's hand in his, intertwining their fingers. Haley placed her head back on the shoulder of her date, but kept her eyes focused on the hand of the stranger, who had made her feel much more comfortable. This was definitely not what she expected.

"You are white as a ghost," Felix laughed as he climbed out of the car and took a look at Haley.

"Just a little carsick," she said as she set foot on solid ground.

"Well then maybe buffalo wings aren't the best for you," Rachel said, not having noticed her best friend's discomfort.

"Probably not," Haley said, annoyed by everyone around her. She slowly followed them all into the Hooters. "So why are we here?"

"Basketball game. Lakers vs. Cavs. Kobe vs. LeBron. Epic match-up," Nathan informed her.

"We live in a football town, no one cares about basketball."

"Well, maybe it's a football town, but it's a basketball state, sweetie."

"Don't call me sweetie. You don't know me."

"Sorry, Haley."

"Thank you."

"So, you and Felix?" Nathan asked. "You two don't really seem to fit."

"Yeah, well, like I said, you don't know me."

"Maybe not. I mean, you are best friends with Rachel."

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

"You know what it means."

"Yeah, it means you're an asshole and I'm on a date."

"Right. You might want to tell your date that," Nathan said, pointing at Felix who was blatantly hitting on their waitress.

"I don't like you," Haley told him, annoyed that he was right about her "date". She walked away to go pry her date's eyes off of the waitress's chest.

"Well, I like you," Nathan said as he watched her walk away. He knew nothing about this girl, but he was sure that one day she would be his. She had to be. She deserved better than Felix and he would prove it to her.

Haley got home from her date and went straight to her bed.

"How was it?" Quinn asked from her doorway.

"Painful. Very painful."

"I thought you went with Rachel."

"I did. It just made me remember why we don't hang out as much anymore."

"Because she's a whore who likes to sleep with your boyfriends?"

"Yeah, and… him."

Quinn quickly went to her sister's side to comfort her. "I'm sorry. You can't keep doing this to yourself, Hales. You need to cut her out of your life. It's not healthy."

"I know, but who am I going to turn to? Peyton? I mean, after all that I've done, she has no reason to be my friend anymore. I swear, every rule she has about ethics, I've broken."

"Because of Rachel."

"I just need a fresh start. That's what this school is for me."

"I hate to be a bitch, but from the smell of you, you haven't seemed to change anything yet."

"I'm working on it. It's just really hard. Peer pressure is a bitch."

"Hales, you don't have to be popular."

"Right, that's what you say because you were popular. You don't know what it's like to not be."

"I never had to drink to fit in."

"Or maybe you just didn't want to drink. Maybe you didn't have things you needed to forget. Maybe our lives are just a little bit different." Haley couldn't help but start to cry. She wasn't Quinn, she never could be.

"I'm sorry, Hales. I know you've been through so much more than me. I just wish I could take away all the pain. You know I love you and I'm always here for you."

"Yeah, I know. Will you stay with me tonight? I've just been having a lot of nightmares lately."

"Yeah. Just let me go tell David." She gave her sister a kiss on the forehead before getting up to leave. "Get out of those clothes and I'll be back."